Sermon for May 29, 2005 – 2 Pentecost / Proper 4 A

by The Rev. Susan Anslow Williams

with particular focus on Genesis 6,7,8 (Noah’s Ark) and Matthew 7:21-27

All Aboard the Ark

While on vacation, I picked up a little-known edition of the Bible, containing material from ancient versions that do not usually appear in the standard translations.  You should consider yourselves fortunate to be hearing this account of the Flood: 

And the Lord said unto Noah: ‘Make thee an ark of gopherwood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without, with pitch.’ Some time later the Lord spake unto Noah and asketh, 'Where is the ark which I have commanded thee to build?' And Noah said unto the Lord, 'Verily, I have had three carpenters off ill. The gopherwood supplier hath let me down -- yea, even though the gopherwood hath been on order for lo these many months. What can I do, O Lord?' And God said unto Noah: 'I want that ark finished even after seven days and seven nights.'

And Noah said: 'It will be so.' And yet it was not so. And the Lord said unto Noah: 'What seemeth to be the trouble this time?' And Noah fell upon his face and said unto the Lord: 'Mine subcontractor hath gone bankrupt. The pitch which Thou commandest me to put within and without the ark hath not arrived. The plumber hath gone on strike. My three sons have formed a rock group and have gone on tour.  O Lord, I am undone. '

And the Lord grew angry and said: 'And what about the animals, the male and female of every sort that I ordered to come unto thee to keep their seed upon the face of the earth?' And Noah said: 'They have been delivered unto the wrong address, but should arriveth here on Friday.’

And the Lord said: 'How about the unicorns, and the fowls of the air by seven?' And Noah wrung his hands and wept, saying: 'Lord, unicorns are a discontinued line, thou canst not get them for love nor money. And fowls of the air are sold only in half- dozens. Lord, Lord, Thou knowest how it is.' And the Lord in his wisdom said: 'Noah, my son, I knowest well.  Why else dost thou think I intend to flood the earth?!'” [1]

Ah, Noah’s Ark.  It’s such a popular story that I feel some trepidation even addressing it.  I mean, who doesn’t know the plot?  And who doesn’t have some sort of         trinket or coffee mug or children’s book in their home, depicting the ark and its furry, slippery, feathery and human cargo – or the ubiquitous rainbow, sealing God’s promise never to flood the earth again? I’m sure some of you managed to catch sight of the amazing rainbow the spanned our skies this past Tuesday, as if to whet our appetite for this morning’s first Lesson. Yes, our culture loves Noah’s story – and perhaps the most amazing thing about it is, that people around the world, since the beginning of all human cultures, have been telling the story of a great flood and a man, or family, that survived. There are literally hundreds of flood stories that have been collected from peoples in the Americas, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Australia and Africa; numerous American Indian cultures; including civilizations contemporary with the Old Testament.[2]

In our own day we have seen the devastation that unexpected and immeasurable quantities water can cause to the earth and its creatures; probably all these civilizations had experienced something traumatic to give rise to these many flood stories, even if geology and genetics have shown it to be impossible that all life could have developed from a boatful of coupled creatures.

The Christian take on this deep-rooted story of judgment, flood and survival offers a deeper layer of meaning, however. Early Christians saw in Noah’s response to God, a faithfulness to be emulated as their own societies seemed just as chaotic and godless as Noah’s, angering God beyond his patience.[3] Others saw the flood as a precursor to Baptism –waters that wipe away all that angers God, and gives a new start to the baptized.[4] From that theology have come beautiful works of art and moving prayers, such as one by Martin Luther for use at baptism, in which the celebrant prays that the candidate will have his sins “drowned and engulfed” by the Spirit, and hence “be rescued from the number of the unbelievers, preserved dry and secure in the holy ark of the Church.”[5]

Our own Prayer Book has left out that image in the Baptism rite. But let us keep it in mind anyway, whenever we celebrate a Baptism, as we do today. For no doubt, little Andrew has already received Noah’s Ark gifts, and when he spends time in our nursery downstairs, he’ll see the ark and animals covering the wall paper. The amount of water to be administered here this morning shall be a far cry from an inundating flood (the altar guild and sexton being very grateful for that), those three handfuls of water are no less effective in conveying the new start, secure in God’s mercy, that baptism conveys.

Jesus, as far as we know, didn’t compare baptism to Noah’s flood. But he did use that image of a house facing destructive waters to describe having a faith, and living a Godly life, that will withstand those floods when they do come.   Not as world-wide deluge – God promised to quit that – but as trial and test, the everyday and the extraordinary challenges that can cause one’s relationship with God to crumble. Christians aren’t spared those things; instead we are equipped to deal with them, better than those who shrug off Jesus and his teachings.

So what are those foundation stones? Well, according to Jesus’ teachings up to this point in Matthew’s Gospel, they include:

-- To let your light shine before others (5:16);

-- To keep the ten commandments (5:17-20);

-- To deal with anger and to resolve conflicts quickly (5:21-26);

-- To maintain proper marital relationships (5:27-32);

-- To speak honestly, without fanfare or making oaths (5:34-37);

-- To act in generous and loving ways -- even toward our enemies (5:38-48);

-- To give alms and to pray in secret (6:1-6);

-- To forgive others, as we have been forgiven (6:14-15);

-- To seek first the kingdom of God (6:24-34);

-- To refrain from passing judgment on others (7:1-5). [6]

All these exhortations come within the framework of a living relationship with God; one that, for us, is cemented at our baptism.

The foundation of faith is laid early; and the ways we pay attention to Jesus can begin as simply as the bed-time prayers of a child, participation in Sunday School, Bible studies, worship and fellowship; and living out the ways we promise to support the newly baptized. Each time we do those things, our own foundation is strengthened to outlast the next storm that comes our way. As one bumper sticker puts it:  Plan ahead... It wasn't raining when Noah built the ark.

Fortunately, this area of the world doesn’t receive monstrous floods very often. But Johnstown, Pennsylvania isn’t all that far away, and that community is still processing their flood of May 31, 1889 – I happen to know they’re building a children’s museum to include the theme of that catastrophe that killed 2300 people, one which affected every citizen in one way or another. Few of us shall forget last winter’s Tsunami, and the images of devastating flood waters that immediately gave rise to twisted stories of God’s judgment against the non-Christians of Indonesia. We can only guess what these stories will become in a few hundred or thousand years, adding to the hundreds of epics already in existence.

And how will we deal with the storms of our own lives?  I hope you’ll continue to be inspired by Noah and his ark.  The story is not only for children, and its popularity – in the books, pictures, jewelry and other items that seem to be everywhere these days – all these references can help to remind us to remember our own baptism, when we were lifted from the waters and taken on board the ark of the Church.  May each “Noah’s Ark” spur us to think of the foundation we have to build upon, and to make sure it’s good and strong.  For as Jesus well knew – trained carpenter as he was – the rooms cannot stand if the foundation is weak.

An old Gospel hymn puts it this way (as you former Methodists might remember):

Amen.

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